RACING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7963, 14 February 1906, Page 6

RACING.

MARLBOROUGH^KACING^CLUB. AUTUMN MEETING. The autumn meeting of the Marlborough Racing Club will be held on the Riverlands course, Blenheim, on Wednesday and Thursday, May 9th and 10th, for which a programme of 16 events haa been provided. The stakes for the two days amount to 915 sovs, of which 475 sovs ia allotted to the ; tirsfc day's events and 440 sovs for the second day. The principal event is the Marlborough Cup, of 120 sovs, run on the first day, and the ne£t best money i& the President's Handicap, of 100 sovs, run on the second day. The remaining races are allotted sums varying from 50 sovs to 75- sovs. The club include in their programme one trotting event each day, the stakes in each case being 20 sovs. The olub has lately made many improvements both to the course and appointments, which will be appreciated by racing men and the public generally. The stewards of this club have recently appointed a caretaker, whose sole duty will be to look after the course and pro perfcy of the olub, hence the public may reasonably expect that the course will be in exoellent order, with the result that good sport may be looked for. Nominations for all events close with the secretary, Mr C. J. W. Griffiths, Blenheim, at 9 p.m., on Saturday, 21st April next. WOODVILLE 'ACCEPTANCES. Acceptances for the first day's handicaps and entries for the Maiden Plate and Hack Scurry, at the Woodville District Jockey Club's Autumn Meeting, tot be run on Wednesday and Thursday, 21st and 22 ad inst, will close with the secretary, Mr E. J. Gothard, Wocdville, at 7.30 p.m., on Friday next. CASE AGAINST BARNETT AND GRANT., A VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY. By Telegraph—Press Association. OJJRISTCHURCH, February 13. Barnett and Grant pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court, this morning, to a charge of keeping a common gaming house. The jury, after a short retirement, returned a verdict of not guilty. Accused were therefore discharged. LATER. The case was heard before Mr Justice Dehniston, and the charge against the - accused .was that they did on Deoember 27th, 1905, being the occupiers of offices in Hereford Street, keep and use the same for the purpose of betting with persons resorting thereto. The office was raided by th 6 police on January Ist, and b large quantity of papers relating to betting transactions were seized.. A plain clothes constable, also, succeeded in mak ing a bet with Barnett, though on other occasions be was refused by both'the acoused. The defence was that'it was perfectly legal for a man to carry on the business cf a bookmaker, and to make a bet and to' record the transaction, provided he did not make bets with "persons resorting to the office, or give totalisator odds." The documents seized might all refer to transactions made byjitelephone, telegraph or by letter, and were, therefore, legal.